Chief Sharafadeen Alli, a former Secretary to Oyo State Government, says Ibadan can attain the Dubai’s status through collective efforts of all indigenes.
Alli made this assertions on Wednesday in Ibadan while delivering a lecture entitled: “Ibadan Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”.
The lecture was organised by the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in commemoration of Oba Lekan Balogun’s 100 days on the throne as the Olubadan of Ibadanland.
Alli, a lawyer and also the Maye Balogun of Ibadanland, is the Senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Oyo South Senatorial District.
According to him, Ibadan which we are trying to build now will be a centre for real estate and agriculture.
ALSO READ:
Alaseyori tackles Nigerian governments over Owo killings
“We believe that Ibadan can become a city like Dubai, when its indigenes can collectively invest in the city,” Alli said.
He urged the indigenes to industrialise the city by setting up industries for its economic development.
In his goodwill message, Sen. Lekan Balogun (APC/Oyo South) said, “Ibadan indigenes are now willing to invest in their children’s intellectual capacity and not act of thuggery.”
Also, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga, the President-General, Central Council of lbadan Indigenes (CCII), said that the vision of Olubadan was to make Ibadan to be capital of commerce.
Adeaga urged the indigenes to make meaningful contributions toward the development of the town.
In her remarks, Chief Mutiat Ladoja, the Agbaakin Iyalode of Ibadanland, urged journalists to help in promoting the culture and tradition of Yorubaland.
Ladoja, represented by Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu, a former State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), urged the people to promote their indigenous languages.
According to her, our people should endeavour to promote our local languages by encouraging our children at home to speak the local dialects.
“In doing this, we will safeguard the languages from going into extinction.
“Our language must not perish, we should be proud of them,” Ladoja, a former Governor of Oyo State, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja said.
She, therefore, advised all to come back home and improve their culture and tradition to curb the unruly behaviours now common among the youth.
